Nursing

Click Above To Download Our BrochureWelcome to the Rend Lake College Nursing Department web site. We hope you will find the information you need to help you get started in a wonderful career in the nursing field.
Specific questions about the application and admission to the program can be directed to the Melisa Berendson, Director of Nursing at (618-437-5321 ext. 1705).
The Associate Degree Nursing Program is designed to prepare nurses who, as beginning practitioners, are able to give quality nursing care to clients and function as members of nursing and health care teams. Registered nurses are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, physicians’ offices, clinics, and community agencies. The Associate Degree Nursing program is designed to provide career mobility with emphasis focusing on critical thinking, problem solving, decision making related to the clinical area, clinical reasoning and nursing judgment. Graduates will be prepared to practice professional nursing in a variety of health care settings.
To remain in the program, the student must achieve a grade of “C” or better in each nursing course. It is also essential to demonstrate competence in dosage calculations and math skills. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approve this program. Upon graduation, the student may be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses).
Please see the Nursing Handbook tab for complete curriculum information.

Nursing Program Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare Associate Degree Nursing graduates to become lifelong learners and to function as multidisciplinary team members; able to provide safe, competent care addressing the changing needs of individuals, family, and the community across the lifespan. This goal is accomplished through instruction and practice of nursing skills, use of critical thinking and problem solving, and demonstration of effective oral and written communication throughout the steps of the nursing process.
Nursing Program Philosophy Statement
The philosophy of the Rend Lake College Associate Degree Nursing Program reflects the mission and vision of the college; embracing cultural diversity and viewing each student as having inherent worth and potential. The program prepares the student for professional nursing roles and is a dynamic process that promotes the synthesis of information from evidence-based research through general studies, the sciences, and nursing experiences. Faculty members serve as facilitators of learning, provide guided experiential opportunities, and assist students to expand their knowledge and attain competencies, as well as furthering the development of professional roles and values.
Nursing education will be based on conceptualized learning and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) core competencies of patient centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidenced-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. Rend Lake College nursing faculty provide a learning environment that is student friendly and promotes professional commitment and self-direction.
Rend Lake College Associate Degree Nursing Graduate Outcomes
Upon completion of the second year of Rend Lake College’s Associate Degree Nursing Program, the student will:

Assimilate and apply the nursing process to provide holistic, culturally diverse, patient-centered care to individuals, family, and community across the life span.
Collaborate effectively with the interdisciplinary team across the healthcare continuum.
Examine evidence-based practice for nursing interventions that are appropriate for diverse populations with multi-faceted healthcare needs across the lifespan.
Manage healthcare for the individual using cost effective nursing strategies, quality improvement processes, and current technology.
Delegate and deliver safe nursing interventions in collaboration with the patient and family, utilizing leadership principles to provide competent patient care.
Integrate healthcare information technology in nursing practice to improve the quality and safety of patient care throughout the nursing process.
Illustrate the need for personal accountability and professionalism as defined in the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.

Special Admission Requirements For Two Year ADN Nursing Program

Admission of a student to the Associate Degree Nursing program shall be based solely on the qualifications of that student. College and state admissions policies are used to determine theses qualifications. All students wishing to enter the new two year ADN program must meet the following as minimum requirements:

Submit a completed Rend Lake College application form.
Submit a completed Associate Degree Nursing program application.
Be a graduate from an accredited high school or have successfully completed the GED exam.
Submit official transcripts from all high schools (or official GED test scores) and post-secondary institutions attended.
Achieve a competitive score on the pre-entrance exam for the ADN program.
Complete English 1101 with a grade of a "C" or better.
Complete Math 1407 or higher unless math placement scores meet the following criteria:
ASSET Intermediate Algebra Score: 35+
ASSET College Algebra Score: 26+
COMPASS Algebra Score: C 47+
COMPASS College Algebra Score: 16+
ACT Math Score: 18+
Complete a Basic Training Nursing Assistant Program and have passed the Illinois state certification exam.

Other requirements upon notification of conditional acceptance-see handbook

The nursing programs at Rend Lake College have been approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation/Board of Nursing and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and received reaccreditation by The Higher Learning Commission – North Central Association.